Our Love Can Move Mountains
by Annarita
Summary: "We have an entire lifetime to spend together. You're aren't leaving me this soon. No way. It was just a little bump in the road." Updated 9/11/18.
1. Chapter 1

**Our Love Can Move Mountains**

In just the span of a few hours Rita Lorenzo went from a newlywed to a widowed, expectant mother. Their child would never know his or her father, the man who gave his life to protect his wife and unborn child. Their child would never know the man who finally taught Rita Lee Lance Lorenzo what it was like to be truly loved, valued, and respected.

She didn't want to wake up. She didn't know how to face the days alone without Chris. The grief consumed her every moment since he had died, and she never knew if she would ever feel whole again. She remembered him saying something to her once that not everyone gets a happy ending while they were working on a case. After all that happened in the last few weeks, she never would have imagined that _they_ were the ones who weren't going to get a happy ending. She finally had the life she dreamed about since childhood, and it was taken from her, from Chris, and from their child. The baby was her lifeline to Chris, and she vowed that she would protect their child as fiercely was Chris did in his last acts, she would make sure that their child knew what a hero he was and how much he loved his family. She would make sure his memory stayed alive.

But, in order to do that, she would have to wake up. Rita slowly opened her eyes and willed herself to face the day alone, trying to push away the empty feeling inside of her.

She gasped when her vision came into focus and she saw Chris staring at her.

"Oh, Sammy," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Oh, Sammy," he repeated as he brought her hands to his lips and kissed them.

She thought she could feel his tears on her skin. "W-why are you here?" She stammered, her voice hoarse. This the most surreal dream she had ever had. It felt so real.

"Where else would I be, Rita?"

"You seem so real for being a figment of my imagination."

"What do you mean?" He knit his brows together, worry evident across his features.

"You died. I watched you die. You-you got shot." She reached out to touch his face and noticed that she had an IV hooked up to her. "Did…did I die, too? Is that we're together again?" On the second thought, maybe she didn't die. She could swear she felt her heart racing.

"No, Rita. No," he shook his head. "I got shot over a year ago. I'm fine. I'm okay. You're scarring me; let me go get a doctor."

"NO!" She practically screamed, afraid that it was a dream and if he left the room, or she even as much as closed her eyes, she would never see him again. She wanted to savor every moment she had whether it be real or imaginary. She tried to sit up further, but he stopped her.

"Don't move too fast."

"Ww-what is going on?"

Chris knew if the nurse popped in she would yell at him for what he was about to do, but he had to do it. He kicked off his loafers and climbed into the small hospital bed alongside of Rita. He has careful not to cause her any additional pain, but held her securely in his arms. "What is the last thing you remember?" He asked gently.

Rita felt a shiver run through her body as his breath touched her face. It felt too real to be imaginary. "I was so scared. I thought Montoya's men were going to kill me. You gave them what they wanted, they gave me to you and we started walking back to the car." She paused to catch her breath and control the shaking in her voice. "Then everything started happening so fast. I heard gunshots. My head was spinning. It was so loud and the ringing built up so much pressure inside my head that I couldn't even hear anything else. I closed my eyes for one second because I was so scared and when I opened them, I realized you were shot. There was so much blood, and I tried to stop the bleeding, but I couldn't. I tried so hard," her voice filled with tears. "Then, the next thing I remember is, you lying in the hospital bed, and you told me everything would be okay and no matter where I went you'd always be with me. Then machines started beeping and nurses and doctors rushed in and you flat lined and in a matter of seconds you were gone. I can't remember much of what happened after that other than your funeral and saying goodbye to Cap. I couldn't stay in Palm Beach without you."

Chris took a deep breath and shook his head. "Oh, Sam. Your brain aneurysm ruptured right after we got to the car. It was the scariest moment of my life. Everything was happening so quickly and so slowly all at the same time. You started to say you had a migraine, and then you passed out. I knew what your migraines were like, Sam, and that wasn't one. Remember all those years ago when I asked what I should look for after you were diagnosed? You said – if it happens you'll know – well, Sam, you were right. It happened and I knew. All I could think about was if those scumbags would have brought you back to me so much as two minutes later, I could have lost you and the baby."

"The baby," her eyes filled with tears. "What about the baby, Sam?"

A small smile graced his lips. "They think the babies will be okay. They're fighters like their mommy."

"What did you just say? I swear I heard you say babies."

"I did," he nodded as he held up two fingers. "Two babies. We're having twins, Sammy Girl, can you believe that?" He laughed. "Twins!"

"We didn't know what we were doing with one baby, but two babies..."

"We have a lot to talk about once we get you home, Rita. Right now, just rest. I'm sure your surgeon will be in to check on you soon. He usually makes his rounds around this time."

"How did I survive? I was deemed too high risk for surgery."

"Science came a long way since your diagnosis. A lot of science, a lot of prayers, good timing, a wonderful team of surgeons, and your strength is what pulled you through. We have an entire lifetime to spend together. You're aren't leaving me this soon. No way. It was just a little bump in the road."

"It's more like a mountain than a bump, Chris. This is serious stuff."

"Our love can move mountains, Rita."

She nodded in awe and agreement – there was no doubt in her mind that somehow their bond helped her pull through. Now that the initial shock was wearing away, and she was certain that Chris was in fact alive, Rita was beginning to become more aware of the situation. "Thirsty," she whispered as she wiggled her toes and legs to see if she was paralyzed. She let out a sigh of relief when she realized she had mobility.

Chris carefully maneuvered himself out of the hospital bed so he wouldn't hurt her, and reached for a cup of ice chips that the nurse dropped off a little bit ago. "The nurse brought ice chips in case you woke up soon," he said as he fed her one.

"More," she said and Chris gave her another one. "What do you mean by in case I woke up soon?"

"Your aneurysm ruptured six days ago. You've been in a coma since the surgery. The doctors said they did all they could, and it was up to you to wake up. They asked what I wanted to do in case you didn't wake up. I wouldn't even talk to them about it. Cap tried to make me have that conversation, but I couldn't do it. I knew you were going to wake up." He carefully took her hand and placed it over his heart. "I knew in here that you would wake up on your own time. You've always been stubborn like that," he joked to lighten the mood before kissing her fingers.

"I'm only stubborn because I have to be to work with you," she teased back.

"That's why we're the best team."

"And besides, I was only in a coma for three days when I got shot, so naturally, I guess you had to outdo me, huh, Sam? It's that competitive nature in you."

She chuckled softly at his banter – it was the same as it had always been and that made her feel safe and content in the best possible way. "Yeah, I guess so. You, uh, should really go home and rest. You look like you haven't slept in a week."

"I haven't slept in a week." He confirmed.

"Have you been here the whole week?"

"Where else do you think I would have been? Cap and Frannie have been taking turns sitting with us, and Holly, too. They kept telling me to go home and sleep, but I couldn't do it. I promised you, I'd always be there for you, and I meant it. I wasn't leaving this hospital. And before you ask, Frannie has been bringing me food, but I'm pretty sure the hospital cafeteria food is better. "

"That wouldn't surprise me," she grimaced thinking about some of the meals Frannie has made in the past. "Go home and get a proper rest and meal, Chris, please. Do it for me."

"No," he said firmly as he shook his head. "Not yet. You just woke up and I want to be here with you. I want to see your face and listen to your voice."

Rita glanced around the room, and noticed her room had a private bathroom. She could catch sight of a shower in the reflection from the mirror. "Well, if you won't leave, at least take a shower here. You look like you can really use one. I'll even join you!" She added enthusiastically.

"As tempting as that sounds, I don't think you're ready for that yet." He grinned.

"Hey, it was worth a shot. My husband is pretty hot, you know."

"Yeah, yeah. Well, I'm just glad that when the doctors were operating they didn't mess up the part of your brain that loves me," he tapped her nose with his pointer finger.

Rita's smile widened. "It's not my brain that loves you. It's every fiber of my being that loves you."

A male cleared his throat, making his presence known before he said, "It's nice to see that you are awake, Mrs. Lorenzo. Mr. Lorenzo should have flagged a nurse to check your vitals," he gave Christopher a pointed look as he opened his file.

"Uh, sorry, Doctor, that was my doing. When I woke up, I was confused. I thought he had died, so when I saw him sitting here, I didn't want him to leave in case it was all a figment of my imagination. I was afraid if he so much as moved in the wrong direction, I'd never see him again." Rita said.

"Mmhm."The doctor commented as he held his flashlight to her eyes to check her pupils. "Well, you were in a coma, Mrs. Lorenzo, and the brain is remarkable. There isn't much concrete research on the situation, but they say you can still hear while in a coma. So, my guess is you picked up certain phrases that people around you were saying, and then your brain subconsciously put visuals to what you were hearing. The visuals could pertain to some fears that you that have and try to bury, but they never truly go away. "

"I see," Rita said.

"We can talk about it more once I'm sure you're stable."

"Okay."

The doctor turned to face Chris. "May I have a moment alone with your wife, Mr. Lorenzo, so I can finish my examination."

Chris looked as if he was about to protest before Rita spoke. "It's okay, Sam. Why don't you go call Fran and Cap? I'd really like to see them."

"Sure thing, Sammy. I'll be right back."

"Sam and Sammy?" The doctor questioned, amused. He cared for all his patients, but Frannie Lipschitz told him all about the history of Christopher and Rita Lorenzo, and somewhere deep down, he was a hopeless romantic who had a special place in his heart for the young couple.

"Uh, it's a long story," Rita blushed. "A long story from a long time ago. The nicknames just kinda stuck around, you know?"

The older man nodded and gave a knowing smirk. "I'm sure. You're very lucky, Mrs. Lorenzo." He said, referring to her miraculous survival and they relationship she had with her husband. A love like that was hard to find, and it was a love that the doctor himself got to experience every day with his own wife. He loved when younger couples shared that same type of love. It reminded him of what it was like when he and his wife were first learning how to navigate the roads of marriage.

 _Mrs. Lorenzo._

Rita would never get tired of hearing herself referred to as _Mrs. Lorenzo._

"I know, Doctor," she smiled. "Believe me, I know."

* * *

So, this is where we leave them. It's marked complete for now, but I would like to turn it into a series of one shots, scenes from the life we never got to see Chris and Rita have - no major plots. Just fluff and happy endings.

I came late to the Silk Stalkings party, and let me tell you... I'm glad I read up on it before I committed to binge it. If I would have been blindsided by Chris's death, it would have destroyed me. I was also disappointed that the story line about Rita's aneurysm was phased out. My friend's mom survived a ruptured brain aneurysm, so I figured Rita could, too. Hence, this story was born.


	2. Chapter 2

_I finally had inspiration strike and could add another part to "Our Love Can Move Mountains." I'm still marking this as complete, but I do hope to pick it up again in the future and give Chris, Rita, and family, the life they deserved to have._

x

Rita Lorenzo and Frannie Lipschitz took a step back and admired all their hard work. The nursery for the Lorenzo twins was almost completely finished. The pale yellow walls made the room feel warm and cozy and contrasted well with the white cribs, changing table, and bookshelves. The room was also overflowing with stuffed animals, courtesy of their friends at the department.

"Thanks for all the help, Frannie. I really appreciate it." Rita said as she played with one of the mobiles above the crib. She smiled as it played a lullaby and slowly moved about. "Chris is a man of many talents, but interior design is not one of them."

"Oh, sweetheart, it is my pleasure."

Rita sighed contently and walked over to the window. She peered out and admired the view of the fountain near the pool. "Did you know this was my room when I was a little girl?"

Frannie sat down in one of the rocking chairs and picked up a stack of baby clothes to fold. "I knew you lived in this house, I didn't know this was your room." She gestured towards the other rocking chair adjacent to her. "Sit down and tell me about it."

At nearly eight months pregnant, Rita walked to the rocking chair, but it looked more like a waddle than a walk. She sighed heavily as she sat down and picked up her own stack of clothes to fold. "Even sitting down these days is turning into a workout." She chuckled.

"I can only imagine."

"Um, Fran, can I ask you something? If it's too personal, you don't have to answer."

Fran shifted in her seat so she was looking directly at Rita. "You can ask me anything."

Rita hesitated for a minute before she asked, "Why didn't you and Cap ever have kids of your own?" Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, Rita regretted asking. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. That was inappropriate."

Rita saw a flash of sadness pass over Frannie's features, but she replied without missing a beat. "It wasn't in the cards for us. We tried, but it just never happened."

Rita nodded.

"It was different back then – infertility wasn't really discussed medically. The general consensus was doctors would just say you weren't trying enough or it was God's way of saying you weren't cut out to be parents."

"I'm sorry."

Fran shrugged. "Infertility treatments came along way in the last thirty years or so, so who knows where science will be in the next thirty years! And it wasn't all bad, either. Sure, it hurt when our friends would announce their third or fourth pregnancy, and there we were still childless. I know my friends talked about it behind my back, and it hurt at first, but we got used to it. And besides, I got to be fun Aunt Fran – the one that everyone came to when they didn't want to go to their own parents. And Harry, well, Harry loved being Uncle Harry. The kids always wanted him to come to school for career day in his police car."

There was an awkward silence for a minute before Fran continued. "Well," she cleared her throat. "Enough about me – tell me about growing up in this big `ol house. Was its scary? This room alone is bigger than the first apartment Harry and I lived in!"

"Oh, no," Rita shook her head. "Not at all. I loved this house. It was just me and Daddy, but we did have a maid and a cooking staff. Daddy had a few investments that went bad and he lost the house. He was in a real bad place after that. The happiest memories I have of my father take place in this house – this very room even. The walls were pale pink then and Daddy would read me stories every night after bath time. Living in this house was the only time I truly remember Daddy being happy."

"Does it feel surreal to live here again?"

The younger woman nodded. "At times, yes. I thought Chris was joking when he said we could move here. There was no way we could afford it, but it was foreclosed for a long time and the bank was eager to sell. It needed a lot of work, but Chris is handy and he and Detective Price did a lot of work already. There's more that will need finished, but that can wait until after the babies are born."

"I'm glad everything worked out."

"Me, too. And I'm glad everything worked out on a larger scale. I am going to miss being out in the field with Chris, but I have to close that chapter of my life. With the aneurysm, the babies coming, our marriage, everything – it just makes sense for me to teach a few classes at the university and at the academy. It's going to be hard not being the one to back Chris up, but I trust Detective Rawlins. Chris is in good hands with her."

"You're right, sweetheart. I know change is difficult, but not all change is bad. This is going to be a good thing – for all of you."

"I know. It will just take some time getting used to it all. At times, it still seems surreal." Rita rubbed her hand over her belly. She could feel the babies kicking. "Do you want to feel?" She asked Fran.

"Oh, darling," she gasped. "I would love to." She answered as she leaned forward.

Rita took Fran's hand and placed it over the movement. "Feel it?" She asked.

"Yes! Yes!" Fran exclaimed, and she couldn't help the tears that formed in her eyes. "It's amazing."

"It really is," Rita agreed. "You know, Chris and I were talking about what the kids should call you and Cap, and we don't think we went them to call you "Aunt Fran and Uncle Harry."

"No?" Fran seemed confused, but tried her best to play it off.

"No," she shook her head. "We would like them to call you Grandma Fran and Grandpa Harry or Nana Fran and Papa Harry or whatever you want! If that is okay with you and Cap, of course."

Frannie jumped from her chair and squealed with delight. "We would be honored!" She clapped her hands together. She gave Rita a hug and kiss. "Thank you, sweetheart." She wiped a few stray tears from her eyes. "Of all the officers Harry ever had in his command, you and Chris were my favorite." She winked, "Now, you know, being called Grandma and Grandpa comes with a list of conditions."

"Oh, really? And what would those conditions be?"

"We get dibs on babysitting, we can spoil them and love them, and their first overnight sleepover is at our house."

Rita extended her hand. "You got yourself a deal." She said as they shook hands.

"Are you two just chitchatting in here?" Chris asked as he walked into the room. "I thought you had a job to do."

"We did our work, _Lieutenant,"_ Frannie emphasized his new rank. "Did you do yours?" She asked, much like a mother would, with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, ma'am," he responded. "The entire kitchen and first floor is babyproofed. But isn't it too early to do all this now?" He asked. "I mean, the babies won't be doing anything other than crying, sleeping, eating, and going to the bathroom for the first few months."

"It's better to have this stuff done before they are born, because if you try to do it after they are here, you'll never find the time – at least, that's what everyone in the charity group I belong to says. There's a Mommy and Me group there, too. You two should go to it."

"Nuh-huh. It's called Mommy and Me. I'm not going to that. Rita can do that."

"Now, Chris, don't be unreasonable." Frannie crossed her arms and gave him a pointed look. "It's modern parenting now. Dads go to things like that, and you'll have two babies to bring, so that means two parents should attend. Right, Rita?"

Rita nodded. "I agree with, Frannie, Chris. This is teamwork."

"Well," he began as he walked over to the rocking chair and extended his hands to help her stand up, "with a teammate like you, how can I resist?" He leaned in to kiss her and his hands rested on either side of her belly "Hey! They're kicking me!" He exclaimed as he felt two solid kicks.

"No, no," Rita turned her head to the side and stared into his eyes. "They are just saying hello to their Daddy."

"Oh, be still my heart," Frannie gushed as she jokingly fanned herself. "Well, I better get going. Harry will be worrying about his dinner. "Can't wait to tell him we're gonna be grandparents! Toodles!" She winked as she made her way out of the room.

"So, I take it you asked her about the kids calling them Grandma and Grandpa?" Chris asked as he and Rita linked arms and began to walk towards the master bedroom.

"Yes, and it made her day. I've never seen her that excited."

"Good," Chris replied. "Do you think Cap will share her sentiment?"

"I think he'll act tough about it at first, but we all know he's a big softy at heart and will be over the moon, too."

"I agree," Chris gave her another kiss. "Now, go take a shower and relax. I am going to go lock up, and I'll be right back."

"Chris," she began as she looked at him sweetly and batted her eyelashes.

"What are the babies hungry for now?" he asked knowingly.

"A hot fudge sundae. With peanuts. And sprinkles. Oh! And a strawberry milkshake."

"A hot fudge sundae _and_ a strawberry milkshake?" he teased.

Rita smirked. "What can I say? The babies have different tastes."

"Your wish is my command."

Rita smiled and stretched out her arms so she could wrap them around his neck. "Thank you, Sam," she said before she kissed him. "Thank you for being such a good sport during all my late-night carvings, mood swings, emotional meltdowns and most importantly, for being my caretaker after my aneurysm." She kissed him again and pulled away slowly when she was finished. "And I want you to know that I fully intend on repaying you...once we get the okay from the doctor..." she stopped just long enough to kiss him again, "...we can do that thing you like so much...you know...with the blindfold...and maybe a pair of handcuffs this time," she whispered into his ear in between kisses. "Hell, I won't be needing my handcuffs for work anymore...they can take up a whole new purpose, if you know what I mean," she waggled her eyebrows.

"Oh, I know what you mean," he growled. "I understand all the risk factors and why we have to abstain – and I would never, ever do anything to jeopardize your health or the babies' health, but my God, I really, really miss you."

"Hey, we've been able to get creative and stay within in the limits set by the doctor."

"I know, but it is not the same, especially for you. I can't wait to _be_ with you again, Rita. It's been so long."

"I know," she agreed sadly as she rested her head against his chest.

He gently stroked her back. "I love you, Sammy Girl."

"I know you do, and I love you, too. So much." Reluctantly, she pulled away to cross the threshold of their bedroom and walked towards the master bathroom. "Oh, and one more thing, Chris..." she called out before he began to descend the stairs.

"Hmm?" he asked as he popped his head into the room.

"The babies are hungry for a sundae and a milkshake, but Mommy is hungry for some fried rice. Do you think you can get me that, too?"

"I would find a way to get you the moon, if that was what you wanted, Rita."

"Thanks, partner!" she called as she began to undress.

Chris couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he descended down the stairs two at time. Life with Rita was anything but boring, and he couldn't wait to see what it had in store when their two little bundles of joy arrived in the near future.


End file.
